When Santa Is Broke….Now What?

Hey! I know it’s not just me when I say that I just can’t do for anyone this Christmas. With monthly bills, a growing teen, a new car and coffee addiction, it’s hard to set aside a Christmas fund.

This can put a damper on the mood real quick. But we shouldn’t let it.

Being a responsible adult is hard! I knew I shouldn’t have ignored my parents when they screamed that to me while I stomped down the hall to my bedroom after they punished me for being “too grown”.

I remember my dad used to tell me, “all you need to do is get a good report card and I’ll take care of the rest.” Those days are over. Report cards don’t pay the bills.

He (Dad) would pick me up for Christmas and take me to my grandmother’s house. My aunts, uncles and cousins were there; crowded in that three bedroom rowhouse on Columbo Street in Garfield (Pittsburgh). I can’t recall any conversation from the adults about “sorry mom! I didn’t have it to do this year.” If so, I didn’t’ hear it because I was busy playing. It was fun back then and maybe that’s what’s missing today.

Christmas is so commercial. “Final Christmas Sale” or “Special savings event” from this department store and that car dealership. No wonder we’re all freaking out. Our kids want the latest and best-est this and that and we can’t keep up. I do know this isn’t what Christmas is all about! It’s not right?

We forgot how to ENJOY CHRISTMAS; even when we don’t have enough to fill the bottom of our Christmas tree.

I found some ideas that might help:

Swap services. If you have smart but broke friends, this tip is for you. Have a friend who provides a valuable service such as personal training, financial planning, or computer consulting give you several one hour vouchers you can give to your friends. In return, you give your friend the same number of one hour vouchers for whatever service you provide.

Cook. Who doesn’t love being served by a friend? Give those on your list the experience of eating out at home. Shop for the groceries (they pay), prepare and serve the meal, and then be sure to clean up. You might even get a free meal out of it.

Babysit. When your tolerance for screaming kids exceeds your bank account balance, consider giving babysitting “coupons” that your friends can redeem. If you’re a masochist, schedule a night where multiple families drop the kids off at your house. This way you’re not giving up so much of your time.